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When Infrastructure Regulation Takes Longer Than Construction

It may take as little as two years to turn a construction plan into a fully completed bridge or other public structure, but getting through the regulation that’s necessary to just get started is a process that can take up to five times as long.

We’ve seen just how quickly things can get done when lawmakers bypass red tape and take action, but unfortunately, that usually only happens in response to accidents and absolutely urgent needs for repair.

“Across the country, one in nine bridges is considered structurally deficient, but federal and state regulations are delaying much-needed repairs. In some cases, some public projects tied up in red tape can take up to 10 years.”

Will this ever change? Some say, if we want to keep our country moving and take our infrastructure to a state other than mass decline, we’ll have to, and rapidly.